What do 12 dishes symbolize for Christmas and Christmas Eve?
The priest explained why it is customary to prepare 12 dishes before Christmas and what they mean.
It is a well-known tradition to cook 12 dishes on Christmas Day and the evening before it. Since ancient times, Ukrainians have placed dumplings, vegetables, mushrooms and, most importantly, kutia on the Christmas table. Let us remind you that this year Christmas Eve 2025 is celebrated on December 24 due to the transition to the New Julian calendar.
Do you know why it is customary to prepare 12 meatless dishes for Christmas? The priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, activist, rector of the Open Orthodox University of Hagia Sophia-Wisdom Georgy Kovalenko spoke exclusively to UNIAN about how the tradition of preparing 12 dishes on Christmas Eve arose.
Where did the tradition of preparing 12 Lenten dishes for Christmas Eve come from?
According to priest Georgy Kovalenko, the roots of the custom…
